Stop Kick
After yesterday’s post on the default/flinch response, I’d like to make a couple points of clarification. The crash (our primary default response against a surprise punching attack) and the spear (Tony Blauer’s default response against a surprise attack) are both excellent responses that really work. They’re far better than the vast majority of defenses that require a person to match a specific defense to a specific punch. When you’re attacked by surprise you need a single, gross-motor-skill-based-response that works no matter what punch the attacker threw. In such a situation your mind and body will not be fast enough to determine exactly what’s coming and pick a particular matching response before you get hit.
However, ideally you should not be in a position in which you are attacked by surprise. Ideally you should be aware of your surroundings and maintain a safe distance from any potential threat, so you have the time to see the attack coming without being surprised…without having a “jack in the box moment”. If you are aware of your surroundings and maintain a safe distance (distance = time), you can intercept an attack using a variety of methods from the stop kick shown in the image above, to a preemptive attack if justified, or even better, escaping before the attack occurs. You can also use a technique such as the crash or spear if you prefer. But it is better to be aware and have a greater variety of options. So while techniques like the spear are brilliant and very effective, you should aim not to be in such a position where you have so little choice. This is why we emphasize awareness first, and then the Fundamental Five in Hertao…five default responses/strategies for a greater variety of situations…one of which is the crash. Of course you never know what situation you may end up in, so having such a flinch response in your arsenal is a must for self defense!
